IsraelAir Force

Kurnass 2000 serial 668 tucks-up it's landing gear after take-off.This example was the first Kurnass 2000 delivered to the unit.

Unit History

201 Squadron

(201 Tayeset "Ha'Akhat" - The 'One' Squadron)
Role: Fighter-Bomber

It is thought that 201 Squadron originated as a shadow designation for
the rest of the force of Mystere IVAs deployed to Israel by the Armee de
L'Air during the Suez Campaign. The aircraft from EC 2 deployed to Ramat
David in October 1956.

The first IDF/AF to operate the F-4E Phantom, 201 sqn, was reformed
in September 1969, under the command of Shmuel Hetz. He was killed in action shortly thereafter. After a rapid initial workup, 201 sqn became the Phantom OCU. During the period 1969-1975, a number of aircrews were cycled through the unit for type conversion, and then used to form the nucleus of new Phantom squadrons.

Despite this training activity, the unit was immediately brought into
action in the War of Attrition, an attack being carried out on a SAM site
near Abu Sueir in October 1969. As part of the psychological battle during
the War Of Attrition, 201 sqn Phantoms laid sonic booms over Cairo the
following November. The F-4 achieved its first IDF/AF kill with 201 sqn
on 11th November 1969 against an Egyptian AF Mig-21 just south of Suez
city.

201 sqn was also the first unit to receive aircraft from the Kurnass
2000 update programme for the F-4E. The first example being handed back
in April 1989. In early 1992 the squadron moved from Hatzor to Tel Nof.